2 Facilities

The package allows reference objects to be created and written and it allows locators to referenced objects to be obtained.

The referenced object may be defined as internal in which case it is assumed to be within the same container file as the reference object itself, even if the reference object is copied to another container file. In that case the reference must point to an object which has the same pathname within the new file as it had in the old one. References which are not internal will point to a named container file.

Reference objects may be copied and erased using DAT_COPY and DAT_ERASE. Care must be taken when copying reference objects or referenced objects; otherwise the reference may no longer point to the referenced object.

Referenced objects must exist at the time the reference is made or used.

The following subroutines are available:

REF_CRPUT

— Create a reference object and put a reference in it.

REF_FIND

— Obtain locator to an object (possibly via a reference).

REF_GET

— Obtain a locator to a referenced object.

REF_NEW

— Create an empty reference object.

REF_PUT

— Put a reference into a reference object.

REF_ANNUL

— Annul a locator which may have been obtained via a reference.